Cranberry Margaritas - the Lightship Restaurant

Submitted by swissms

"Published in Gourmet magazine, November 1992. From the Lightship Restaurant in Long Beach, Washington. Made with fresh cranberries and apples. If you plan on serving more than 4-6 cranberry margaritas during the upcoming week, just double or triple the cranberry-apple puree and keep it on hand (it keeps for up to one week; just cover and chill)."

 

• Ready In: 15mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• Cranberry-apple puree

• 1⁄2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup apple juice, plus
• 1⁄4 cup apple juice
• 6 ounces fresh cranberries, picked over
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced

• Margarita

• 3 cups ice cubes
• 6 ounces cuervo gold tequila (3/4 cup)
• 1 1⁄2 ounces triple sec (3 tablespoons) or 1 1/2 ounces Grand Marnier (3 tablespoons)
• 3 ounces liquid, whiskey-sour mix (6 tablespoons)
• 2 ounces Rose's lime juice (1/4 cup)

directions

1. Cranberry-Apple Puree:.
2. In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar and 1/2 cup apple juice; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, and add the cranberries. Boil for 1 minute, stirring, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the cranberries burst.
3. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
4. In a food processor or blender, puree the cranberry mixture with the apples and the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice until it is smooth. (Makes 1 1/2 cups; Cover and chill for up to 1 week).
5. Margaritas:.
6. In a blender, puree the ice with the teuila, triple sec, whiskey-sour mix, lime juice, and 1 1/2 cups of the cranberry-apple puree until the mixture is smooth.

Reviews

[amy.walters]

I have made these for years, ever since I found the recipe in the Gourmet 1992 November magazine, which I bought at a book sale, probably in 1998. over the years I have discovered that, if you want a smoother (less gritty, less 'pithy') puree, once you have blended the cooled cranberries with the apples, you can push the puree through a sieve, and that keeps the grit/pith parts of the cranberries out of the final product. This might make for a slightly thinner puree, but a little more ice while making the margarita takes care of that! <br/>These are ALWAYS a hit at Christmas, and I am always requested to bring them to the family Christmas Eve celebration. Also, I have frozen both leftover mixed up margaritas, as well as leftover puree, and have used them both with much success.<br/>I love love love love love these!!!<br/>--I also noticed that this recipe, as listed, is cut in half, as far as the puree goes. my original, stained recipe, ripped out of the original magazine, has all of the puree ingredients in doubled amounts.

 

[Boomette]

I used a Cortland apple instead of granny smith. It was a bit too sweet for our taste. And next time I'll add more tequila to the margaritas. This is a great color margarita. And the taste is very interesting. Thanks Swissms :) Made for PRMR tag game